Stemming and shredding apparatus



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR RUPERT E.RUNDELL BY Er TTORNEY I April 16, 1946.

STEMMING' AND SHREDDII IG APPARATUS April 1945. R. E. RUNDELL 2,398,450

STEMMING AND, SHREDDING APPARATUS Filed Aug. '7, 1943 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 16, 1 946. R. E. RUNDELL STEMMING 'AND SHREDDING APPARATUS- A ORNEY April 16, 1946. R. E. RU NDELL STEMMING AND SHREDDI ING' APPARATUS Filed Aug. '7, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 U E R Y o 2 T N NE R W w N T IF..- 1/A U R/ April 16, 1946.

R. E. RUNDELL STEMMING AND SHREDDING APPARATUS Fil ed Aug. 'r, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR v RUPERT E.RUNDELL ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 1946 STEMMING AND SHREDDING Rupert Rl lnil'ell, Rockville*Centre,Nf te i or to American Machine F n y Own?- r ArrARA'rns pany, a corporation of NewJer'sey Application August 7, i943, seria 'lnopsmn b '15 Claims. 01431-129) This invention relates to 'the stemming ofleaf tobacco, more-particularlyto a novel apparatus for performing the stemming operation. Heretofore the laminae were stripped from the stems of tobacco leaves by machines of the type shown in mypriorPatent No. 1,968,098. In the operation of such machines there is acertainproportion er drop leaves which are pulled out of the grippers of the stemming mechanism and'must be collected and stemmed by hand or in a thresher; 4 Moreover flags areleft 'on the stripped stems which require additional threshing and wirinowingto remove these flags.

These machines are also equipped with mechanism forthreshing the butt ends of the leaves to assure retention of the-stembutts-in'the grippins of the stemming mechanism, the construc- "tion of the butt threshing 'mechanismjbeing" of the type shown in my prior Patent No. 2,050,765.

Thus, as much as two tothree inches of the tbacc'o is removedfrom the butt ends of the leaves and formed into scrap tobacco by said butt.

threshing mechanism together, with broken stems, which need to be threshed and winnowed to effect separation of the laminae fromthe stem portions.

' An object of my invention isft o avoid the labor required for stemming or handling drop leaves and yetcbtain a much greater outputwith much "less labor. {To this end, a layer ofoutspread tobacco leaves is continuously advanced'and the leaves are severed at'a predetermined point to separate the tip portions. from the butt end porti'ons thereof. The severed tip portions, which may constitute as much as a. half 'o'r. anyvother desired fraction of the leaves, are conveyed to various conditioning, casing and shreddingmachines which are employed in the manufacture of cigarette tobacco. Thesevered butt end portions are feddirectly to a shredder'of novel construction wherein the laminae are beaten off the stems and winnowed and returned tothe conveyorwhereon the severed stem butts are,'advanced. Thus with a, single handling of the leaves they are prepared fordeliveryto the conditioning, casing and shredding machines;

The shredder is provided withopposed thresher bars betweenwhich the stern portions can pass,

the bars having a novelconstruction to remove the. laminae of greater size therefrom'andlwithout breaking the stems into small pieces. .The scrap tobacco pieces so removed from the stems are of a size averaging two to three inches'in length; Since the stem portions arelarger t han those producedby prior threshing andwinno'w mg devices, it is possible to secure a better separation of stem portions and laminae and to separate stems from larger leaf portions than heretofore possible. 1

r: .In a modified form of the invention the severed butt end portions may be advanced through abutt threshing mechanism and delivered-to the grippers of. a stemming machine. The stripped butt end leaf portions are deposited on" the severedtip portions,'and the leaf fragments and the'stem portions from the butt threshing mechanism, and the stripped stems from the stemming machine,'ar'e deliveredto the threshing and win- "nowing device. Byostemming .the severed butt end portionsinstead iof wholeleaves, as heretofore, there is less danger of pullingithe stem butts out 'of the grippersof the stemming mechanism.

Therefore fewer drop leaves will result.

Another object ofthe invention isto p d a stemming and threshing unit which employs a stepped or triangular tooth form and adjustable supports for the teeth whereby larger" pieces are obtained than have hithcrto'been obtainable with thresher type stemmers;

his" a further ob ct a provide ref adjustment of as stepped o'r triangular teeth in directions approximately at right angles "to eaohotherfso that the edges of the teeth on one side may be brought closer together or further apart without changing the spacing of the tooth edges on the other side, and thus the optimum spacing may be obtained. The spacing at theother side of the teeth may be similarly varied; and if desired the mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations Which'will be hereinafter (iopart of this specification: Fig. l is an isometric v b proved method and apparatus for stemming and scribed.

" In the ac com ahyine drawings, .a

view illustrating threshing I tobacco. leaves, the forward bearing supportof. each of .thexshreddercone shafts being broken away :to' expose the drive pulleys their i Fig; 21s as end elevation, partly in section, of

the tobaccqleaf cutting mechanism;

Figi3 is an isometric view illustrating a t "modification of the improved method and apparatus for stemming and threshing tobacco leaves, the

forward bearing support of the shredder cone shaft being broken away to expose the drive pulley of the fan;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation, partly in section, of

the improved cone thresher;

Referring to the embodiment of my-rinvont-ion shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, an operator spreads the tobacco leaves L on toanendless'conveyor belt I which is supported by rollers}- and table 1 carried by a frame I. The belt is suitably driven to deliver said leaves-on to a pair of traveling conveyor belts I2 and I4 carried by rollers *II mounted on-a frame I5 and sufiiciently separated to provide a narrow space I 6 through which protrudes a rotating knife 2I! which: coacts: with a rotating knife I8 (Figs. 1 :and'2). While passing between these knives the tobaccoleavesfh are Cut in half. Thus thetip e nd' 'llof theleafiwhich has the unobjectionable smaller stem portion that may beutilized, is severed from; the butt and -.B of the leaf which has the coarse "and heavy stem .portioniwhichmust beremoved. I l

After this cutting operationthe tip :portions.T -:are delivered on to :another traveling; conveyor -belt 522 ;while the butt end I portions are :dropped 35 into ahopper 24 0f animprovedicone:thresher .26 2 wherein 'gthe ilaminae. are removed :from the stems. A'Ihe winnowedilaminae iA'.are-.:d'elivered ;:from:cone:;-thresher.:26 uponaa feedzbelt28-which :carries-v the, same to the ;conv eyor belt. 2 2 where :they.:dr0p ;on, to;the tip portions If; forwardedby z saidrconveyori beltr g e I In order to assure agthorough; cleaning :Of: the stems, delivered from cone:.th-reshenZQ- theyare directed intoan intake;30 of, another-cone thresh- ;er'.-'26a ew;h-ich sis of a -construction;.;similarato thresher 26. {Phelaminae A1 removed-from these .stems,-are. deposited on a. feed be1t.2-8'a.-which a1so J delivers: themupon the tipgportions, J1. advanced bears against a collar 43 of shaft 44 and a thrust bearing 50 located adjacent a suitable hub of frame 34.

In order to avoid any disturbance or shifting of 5 the leaves L when contacting the rotating knives I8 and 20, a'weight 52 and a pair of guide belts 54 are provided. The latter also serve the pureDQSe ofakeeping. the tip. ends T-of the leaves flat :onflthe conveyor belt. I4 while :passing said rotating knives. The weight 52 may be of a disk or iv drum shape and pivoted to a stud 56 so that it will roll on the leaves L passin underneath the :same. Thestudfifi is held by an arm 58 loosely -mountedonashaft 69 held in suitable bearing 45 bracketsj'fiz attached to a conveyor table 64 undefiyingtheupper runs of belts I2 and I4. On shaft 60 i furthermore loosely mounted an arm 66 to which is pivoted a suitable bracket 68 carryingapair of studs 18. On each stud ID are loosely mounted a pair of pulleys 12 supporting the guide belts:.54 mentioned: heretofore. These guide belts .are not driven, but move with theadvancing tobacco leaveson the conveyor .belt I4 whichis suitably driven:by:meansnotshown.

. The-hopper; 24 into'awhlch the :butt ends. B :of

.the tobacco leaves: Lare fed by theconveyorbelt 12,5515: attached to;suitable flanges projecting upwardly from the cone thresher housing 14 (Figs. .4 and. 5). ;The' upper portion of 1 hopper 24 is 4530 .equipped with: a pair. of rotating. 'feedrollers 16 anci lil. --R ,ol1er-'l8.-is--constantly driven from a -suitable source. of power- (not shown) by means of a chain 80 running overa sprocket-82 fastened .toca shaft .83toxwhich feed roller 'l8 is secured (Fig. 4), Shaft-'83 is supportedby suitable bear- ..ing-brackets= 84 and ill; mounted on" the upper portion of hopper 24. Shaft 83 furthermore carries .a gear .88 meshing with a gear-90 secured to .a shaft 92-on which feeder roller 16 is mounted,

U ,shaft 1-92 being supported in the bracket-84. At

the bottom of hopper 24- ismounte another pair .offeed rollers .94..and-96. The latter are arranged, transversely with respect .to feed rollers '16 and .18. Roller=94 is suitably fluted and .45 vmounted. ona. shaft 98 supported in the. flanges 15 of housing 14. To shaft 98 is fastened-above] .gear I.I)I!- constantly driven by a bevel gear I02 (Fig.35) .mounted. .on a shaft. I04, supported by a bearing bracket IIlIiattached to housing 14. Shaft on conveyar b ltgz The nowvthomughm cle n-edgfio [1'04 also,carries.a sprocket I08 driven froma suitshown) wherein said tobacco is cut into shreds as Q .is customary; in the manufacture of cigarette. tobacco. Thus by-.a-:single -feeding of the leavesrL the-latterare stripped and. freed of stems without other manual operations or handling. g I

,The. knife disks Id -and :20 which. sever thetip .portions of. the leaf from th butt, portions: of the same aredriven'in opposite .directions (Figs. g1 and 2) by means of a motor M KnifeZm-is mounted on a shaft :32 suppOr-ted by ,suitable bearings of a frame 34. \Saidshaft. 32-carries a .pulley 35.whi-ch:by .means of-ta belt. 38is driven from. the. motor M. Ongshaft 32 is furthermore .mounteda gear ltrrneshin with agearntz secured toashaft 4.4 oniwhich is fastened, the knife disk is, .ShaftLM is ,yieldingly. mounted in .suitable bearings of the frame 34, a spring 4B.b.eing

.,pro,vided to keep ..knife..l8 in engagement with able source ofpower (notv shown) b means of a chain I I0. The fluted feed roller 94 works in conjunction with the yieldingly mounted feedroller .96. "The latter islooselymounted on a. shaft H2 (Fig. 4) supported by a pair of arms H4 (Figs. .4

and 5) which are secured to a shaft. I IGjournaled in a'bearing bracket I I8 attached to a side wallof hopper "24. A torsion spring I20 anchored to bracket H8 and secured'in one of the arms H4 provides .y.ielding mounting of, roller 96 which maintains the latter in contact .with'the constantly rotating fluted roller 94.

. As the'butt portions B are delivered into the hopper .24 by means, of conveyorbelt l2, they are .05 fedacross aplate'25 in the upper end of thehopper 24 so thatthey will .be engaged by-the constantly rotating rollers 16 and.'|8 which feed said ,buttportionsinto thelower portionof saidhopper where they are engaged by rollers 94. and '96 and fed through. a suitable slot'I22 (Fig. 5) of .housing 16 on to the-thresher cone I24. Feed rollers wand I8 are employed. for the purpose of .guiding the butt end .portions B in sucha manr'ierv that theydrop intothe lower portion of 17 ho p rj2-4with the cut. portion first and the heavy dicatorfingers I66 and scale plates I68. A series of plates" I68 are attached to the exterior of housstem portion pointing upward. It is also important that fluted feedro1ler94 revolve at a much slower linear speed than the thresher bars on the thresher cone, thus assuring thatthe leaves are held back whilethresher bars I36 of the revolving thresher cone beat oil the laminae of the severed butt end portions. The thresher cone I24 is mounted on a horizontal shaft I26 supported by bearing brackets I28 and I30. Shaft I26 carries a pulley I32 which by means of belt I34 is driven by a motor or other suitable source spirally on the cone I24, as shown in Figs. and 6, thus effecting more of a stripping action than a beating action which in turn assures greater size of laminae and prevents the stems from being broken up into small pieces. The beater bars I36 while revolving with cone I24, co-act with a set of stationary beater bars I40 adjustably mounted on the interior of housing I4 and provided with triangular teeth which also project into the space between cone I24 and housing 14. The step-shaped ridges or teeth of beater bars I36 and I40 are so arranged as to interfit with each other.

In order to accommodate leaves and stems of various sizes the bars I40 may be adjusted longi-' tudinally so that the teeth of opposed beater bars may have the desired interfitting relationship.

The flange portions of the stationary beater bars I40, which are located on the exterior of housing 14, are provided with slots I42 wherein are positioned screws I44 threaded into the housing 14. The bars I40 are also equipped with. lugs I46 holding a threaded stud I48 slidably engaging with a lug I50 of housing 14. A pair of lock nuts I52 secure stud I48 in lug I50 and thereby maintain beater bar I 40 in'any desired position to which it may be adjusted longitudinally. Since housing 14 is of the same frusto-conical shape as thresher cone I24 any longitudinal adjustment of beater bars I40 will vary the width of the horizontal space between the teeth of beater bars I40 and beater bars I36. After each setting screws I44 are tightened again to lock beater bars I40 in place.

The vertical space between the teeth of bars I40 and I36 may be regulated by effecting a corresponding horizontal movement of the thresher cone I24. Since the latter is keyed on to shaft 4 I26, the entire shaft is moved by turning a threaded spindle I54 (Fig. 5). Said spindle is loosely mounted in a lug I56 of a supporting frame I60 and threaded into the base of bearing bracket I28 slidably mounted on said frame I60.

Since movement of shaft I26 relative to bracket I28 is prevented by means of pulley I32 and a collar I58, any horizontal movement of said bracket will be imparted also to shaft I26. The

latter is furthermore slidably supported by the bearing bracket I30 rigidly secured to the frame I60. In order to provide indication of the vertical spacing between the teeth of the thresher bars I36 and I40, an indicator finger I62 is secured to the base of bracket bearing I28. Said finger I62 designates the position of said bracket on a scale plate I64 attached to the supporting flange of frame I60. Similar means for indication of the horizontal spacing of the teeth of the beater bars is provided by the employment of inmg 14 while fingers. I66 are secured to the top The frontof the fan is covered by a'disk I18 provided witha central opening I of approximately the "size-of a central opening I82 in housing 14 serving asan air intake. Pulley II'0'and fan I12 are constantly rotated, independently of thresher cone I24, bymeans ofa belt I84 and a motor I86 (Figs. 1 and 5), and. thus the fan may be revolved atasp'eed higher orlower than the cone.

"Due to the centrifugal force imparted by the thresher cone "I24, the laminae, or leaf-frag- 'ments, and stems'are forced from the conical portion ofhousing 14into cylindrical portion 14-A thereof which is provided with a guide plate I88 extendingupwardlyz from the outlet duct I90 (Fig; 8) The flow of aircreated by the fan I12 carries thelaminae and stems upwardly into the duct I60 which has an outlet I9I above theconveyor belt 28 as shown in Fig. 1. The stems strike the :bailleplate I94-and drop out through a suitable outlet I96 (Fig. 4); As illustrated in Fig.- 1,

Isaid'stems may 'befed into the intake 30 of another com thresher 26a whose construction is similar 'to conefthresher 26, wherefore further illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary. Any laminae which may remain on the stems deliveredto cone thresher 26a are removed therefrom by the coaction of beater bars (not shown). The cone thresher 26a is provided with a fan (not shown) driven from motor I86 by a belt Ma, and the separated stemsand laminae are carried out an outlet duct I92a, the stems dropping through goutlet I96a into box R- and the laminae dropping through outlet I9Ia upon belt 28a.

Referring. nowto Fig. 3, the improved apparatus may be modified, as shown therein, by employing a stemming machine in addition to a threshing machine instead of a set of threshingmachines. wIn this modified form the tobacco leaves L are spread by an operator upon an endless conveyor belt 200 which is supported and driven in th same manner as belt I0 and delivers said leaves upon another pair of conveyor belts 202 and 204 supported and driven in the same manneras belts I2 and I4, and separated by a narrow space .206 through which protrude a pair of rotating cutting knives 208 which are of the same type and construction as the cutting knives shownin Figs. 1 and 2. A weight 2I0 and a .pair of guide belts 2I2 are also provided and ,have the same function, and are of the same construction, as weight 52 and guide belts 54 shown in Fig. 1. After the tip portions of the leaves are severed from the butt portions, the

, former travel over another endless conveyor belt 2 I4 whichdelivers said tip portions on toa feed belt 2I6. The butt portions of the leaves are delivered on to another conveyor belt 2I8 which guides said butt portions through a butt threshing mechanism C whose construction is shown and described ,in my Letters Patent No. 2,050,765.

Said butt threshing cleaning device cleans enough laminae away from the stem. so the latter may easily be properly gripped by the gripper fingers of the stemming machine later on. Upon leaving the butt cleaning device C,the protruding st em buttpor'tions P are engaged by a leaf separator .saidr belton feed'ibe'lt 216. --Afterthe" stripping operation; the stems :S are released by th -gripiper fingers G *of f the stemming machine I and :guided through a suitable chute- 222 intoa hopper 224"of-.a-' cone thresher 26?) whose construction is similar to: the conethresher 26 described heretofore. Thet-laminaa orwleaf fragments F, beaten off-the stemrbutts'by the butt cleaning device C "are delivered-therefrom to -a suitable conveyor belt'Z26 'and'forwarded thereoninto' hopper 224 of cone :thresher 26b. Thefragments F and the stems S rare cleaned: and 1 separated from any heavy stem portions'incone thresher 26b,'and the laminae KJ are ideposited upon another cross belt conveyorl228 itwhich delivers I .said- 1 laminae K on to the tiplportionsiT travelling underneath said conveyoriizzflionifeed belt ZIB. Thelatter feeds 'the tip portions-T togetherwith the: leaf laminae and into a ssuitable 1 tobacco cutter (not shown) wherein they "are cut into shreds -as;is,

"custmary i-n the manufacture of cigarette tobacco. What-isclaimedis:

1 In a stemmingapparatus, the combination with *a" pair -of spaced 1 endless I traveling belts adapte'dto support respectively the tip'end portionsand butt endportions of tobacco leaves and advance the sametransversely'of their lengths, "of means'for severing the portions of the tobacco leaves intermediate said belts '-to separatethe'tip portionsfrem the butt endportions thereof, a conveyor'arrangedto receive' the severed tip'por- 'tions'fr'om'one of'said belts and advance them 'to' a 'predetermined-position, andmeans arranged toreceive' the severed'butt' end portions'from the "other or said'belts and operating to disintegrate and; winnow the severed buttend'portions to separate the laminae from the stem portions thereof, "said means includinga housing having an intake arranged to receive the severedbutt'end'portions, a single revoluble support arranged "Withinf said 'housing, thresher'elementsmounted on' said support, and opposedmembers in the-lower portion of said-intake'coacting'to 'advance'the severed butt end portionsgradually in apendant position into the path 'of said thresher elements, whereby'the'laminae are removed from the stem portions ofthe'severed butt endportions while they are "being fedby said members and the separatedlaminae'will be winnowed'from the stem portions within said housing.

'2. In "a -stemming'apparatus, the combination with a pair of spaced endless traveling belts adapted to support respectively the tip endportions andbutt endfportions of tobacco leavesand advance the same transversely of their lengths, of means. for severingtheportions'of the tobacco leaves intermediate. said belts, to separate the'tip portions .from I the butt .end portions thereof, a

..conveyor arrangeid' toreceive the severed tip porvlO-uble support arranged withinsaidhousing,

thresher bars mounted on the peripher of said -:-supp0rt opposed membersarranged Within the -upper po'rtionof said intake to admit.-therebetweenthe severed butt end portions from the belt on'which they are advanced and feed them stem butt uppermost intoilthelowerf portion of-said intakegand-xopposed feed rolls in the lower portion of: said iintake' coacting. to advance the severed "butt end-portions gradually into the path of said thresher bars with thesevered ends thereof foremost, whereby the-laminae. are removed from the stem portions thereof by said thresher bars while the severed butt end portions are being fed into said housing by said rolls.

*3. The combination with a housing: provided with avertical intake, Ofsa. revoluble-member mounted within said housing, a series ofthresher bars mounted on theperiplieryof said member "and movablep past said intake, a pair of feed rolls mounted adjacent the bottom of said intake and coacting to feed leaf tobacco downwardly and gradually in .a pendantfposition into the range of action of said thresher bars whereby the laminae will be beaten off the'leaf tobacco by said thresher bars-as it is advanced downwardly by said rolls.

4. :Thecombination with a housing provided with a .vertical intake, of a revoluble member mountedwithin said housing, a series of thresher barsmounted on the periphery of said member i 40 and movable past saidintaka a pair of feed rolls .mounted-ad-jacent the bottomiof said intake and coacting to feed leaf tobacco-downwardly and -gradually-ina-pendant'position into the range of action of said thresher bars whereby the laminae will be beaten off-the leaf tobacco-by ,said thresher'bars as it is advanced bysaid rolls,

' said housing having a frustro-conicalwall wherein'iis provided a slot through which leaftobacco may berfed intosaid housing from said intake by a, saidro1ls, said rolls being disposed adjacent said slot and arranged in parallelism tosaid wall.

5. The-combination with a housing provided with an inlet in its top through which tobacco -may--be fed, of a revoluble member mounted with- .55 lin said housing, a series of thresher bars mounted on-said member, and a pair of feed rolls coactv ing:to feed leaf tobacco vertically through said inlet into the rangeof action of said thresher bars, and means for driving said feed rolls and member with the linear speed of the feed-rolls substantially less than linear speed of said member whereby the laminae will be beaten off the leaf tobacco by the action of the thresher bars thereon.

6. The combination with a housingprovided with an intake, of arevoluble member mounted within said housing, a series of. thresher bars mounted on the peripher of said member and movable past said intake, a pair of feed rolls 70 mounted adjacent the bottom of said intake and coacting to feed leaf tobacco gradually into the .range of action of said thresherbars, whereby the. laminae will be beaten off the' leaf tobacco bysaid thresher bars as it is advancedby said '75 rolls, and a pair of upper opposed rolls disposed within the top of said intake with said upper rolls being arranged to admit severed butt portions transversely therebetween and feed them downwardly into said intake with their stem butts pointing upwardly.

7. The combination with a housing adapted to admit leaf tobacco and having a frusto-conical portion, of a frusto-conical revoluble member disposed within the frusto-conical portion of said housing, a series of thresher bars having a set of teeth and mounted on the periphery of said member, and a series of thresher bars having a set of teeth and mounted on the interior of the frustoconical portion of said housing, said member being axially adjustable to vary the spacing between the teeth of the thresher bars on said member and the teeth of the thresher bars on said housing.

8. The combination with a housing adapted to admit leaf tobacco and having a frusto-conical portion, of a revoluble member disposed within the frusto-conical portion of said housing, a se- 11. The combination with a housing having a frusto-conical portion provided with an inlet adapted to admit leaf tobacco, of a frusto-conical member revolubly mounted within the frustocom'cal portion of said housing, thresher bars mounted on said member and provided with triangular teeth having vertical and horizontal faces, and thresher bars disposed within the interior of the frusto-conical portion of said housing and provided with triangular teeth having vertical and horizontal faces and adapted to in- V terfit the triangular teeth of the thresher bars ries of thresher bars having a set of teeth and mounted on the periphery, of said member, and a series of thresher bars having a set of teeth and mounted on the interior of the frusto-conical ortion of said housing, said member being axially adjustable to vary the spacing between the teeth of the thresher bars on said member and the teeth of the thresher bars on said housing, the thresher bars on said housing being individually adjustable to vary the spacing between their teeth and the teeth of the thresher bars on said member.

I 9. The combination with a housing having a frusto-conical portion having an inlet arranged to admitleaf tobacco into the frusto-conical por-' tion of said housing, of a frusto-conical member revolubly mounted within said frusto-conical portion, thresher bars mounted on the periphery of said frusto-conical member, thresher bars mounted on the interior of said frusto-conical portion, the thresher bars on saidhousing and members having suitably spaced indentations providing teeth on the respective bars which are adapted to interfit each other as said member is revolved, the thresher bars on said frusto-conical member being spirally arranged thereon and coacting with the thresher bars on said housing to thresh laminae from leaf tobacco.

10. The combination with a housing having an inlet arranged to admit leaf tobacco into the housing, a shaft revolubly mounted within said housing, thresher'bars supported on said shaft, thresher bars mounted on the interior of said housing and coacting with the thresher bars on said shaft to thresh laminae from leaf tobacco, said housing being provided with an outlet through which the threshed leaf tobacco may be impelled, said outlet having a duct through which stem pieces are delivered and a duct through which laminae are delivered, a fan loosely'mounted on said shaft and adapted to impel the threshed tobacco through said outlet whereby the stem pieces and laminae will be delivered through their respective ducts, and means for driving said shaft and fan at different speeds.

supported on said revoluble member and remove the laminae from the leaf tobacco admitted into said housing through its inlet.

'12. The combination with a housing having an inlet adapted to admit leaf tobacco, of a member revolubly mounted within said housing, said, housing and said member being provided with thresher teeth having horizontal and vertical faces and arrangedlto interfit with each other during the rotation of said member, and means for adjusting the horizontal and vertical spacing between the horizontal and vertical faces of the teeth on said member and the teeth on said housspacing between the teeth on said member and the teeth on said housing.

14. In a tobacco leaf stemming device, the combination with a housing, of a rotor mounted for rotation within said housing, said rotor and housing being provided with opposed sets of triangular teeth arranged to interfit with each other and remove the laminae of tobacco leaves from the stems, said teeth having faces meeting at an angle of approximately degrees, and being arranged with the tooth faces of the teeth 'on the housing substantially parallel to the tooth faces of the teeth on the rotor, and means for adjusting said teeth to vary the spacing between the tooth faces at one side of the teeth on the housing and rotor without varying the spacing between the tooth faces at the other side of said teeth.

15. In a tobacco leaf stemming device, the combination with a frusto-conical housing, of a frusto-conical rotor mounted for rotation within said housing, said housing and rotor being provided with opposed sets of triangular teeth arranged to interfit with each other and remove the laminae of tobacco leaves from the stems, said teeth having faces meeting at an angle of approximately 90 degrees, and being arranged with the faces at one side of the teeth on said rotor substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rotor and the faces at the other side thereof substantially parallel to the axis of the rotor.

RUPERT E. RUNDELL. 

